Preparation and characterization of simethicone MMT/PU microspheres

Simethicone MMT/PU microspheres were prepared with polyurethane (PU) and montmorillonite (MMT) as main materials by interfacial polymerization and simethicone as core material was coated into microspheres. The microspheres morphologies and composite physical states were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry analysis (TG), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and dynamic thermomechanical analysis (DMA). Scanning electron microscopy observations revealed that simethicone MMT/PU microspheres had a good spherical structure. Results from FTIR and TG suggested that the MMT had been successfully introduced to the polyurethane molecular chain and simethicone MMT/PU microspheres had good thermal stability under 225 degrees C. Results from DMA suggested that damping properties of simethicone MMT/PU/EP composites were significantly improved. As simethicone MMT/PU microspheres were introduced into epoxy resin (EP), the maximum loss factor of simethicone/MMT/PU/EP composites increased by 90% than pure EP.